Coohills chef Tom Coohill competing in Icelandic culinary contest

Tom Coohill, executive chef and co-owner of Coohills Restaurant in LoDo, is heading to Iceland for an international cooking contest. (Photo courtesy Coohilss)

Cool news for Tom Coohill: The chef-owner of Coohills restaurant in Denver has accepted an invitation to compete in Iceland’s Food and Fun Festival, which takes place in Reykjavik from Feb. 26-March 2, and includes 13 guest chefs from around the world.

Each chef is tasked with devising a special three-course menu at their assigned restaurant, and are limited to Icelandic-only ingredients. Coohill will cook at Rub 23, which specializes in local fish and farm goods, and serves a lot of sushi.

“I’ve loved my experiences cooking with Icelandic chefs at Coohills during the Taste of Iceland dinners, and now look forward to joining them on their turf,” Coohill says. “The culinary scene in Iceland is exciting and feels very French-influenced. (Coohill’s own culinary background.)

Their style is not necessarily minimalist, but they offer beautiful, clean presentations. Working with their local ingredients is a luxury – their langoustines and arctic char are nothing short of amazing,” he says. Coohill isn’t the only Mile High connection: Chef-restaurateur Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja, Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendôme will serve as one of the judges.